


Fringe

by embro



Category: Little Mix (Band), One Direction (Band), Union J (Band)
Genre: Bottom Louis, Boys Kissing, F/M, Hair Salon AU, Harry has super sensitive scalp and likes the way Louis washes his hair, Harry is a nice guy whose hair grows super fast, Jesy is the esthetician, Louis is a hair stylist, Louis is a sassy bitch, M/M, Niall and George are receptionists, Perrie/Zayn, Power Bottom Louis, Riding, Swearing, Zayn/ Liam, a lot of moaning and harry being desperate, a vibrating salon chair, and like a million others that are mentioned for about two secs, and likes Louis' ass, and talk about luuuuurve, i think i'm a lot funnier then I am, like George/ Jesy, lots of fluff, so is Jaymi, so is Jaymi and Zayn and Perrie, sorry bout that, the third chapter is pure smut, there are so many side pairings it is ridic, totally forgot to add HAIR PULLING KINK
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2013-10-22
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:53:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/embro/pseuds/embro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>A boy with erogenous scalp and a hair stylist; a match made in heaven.</em><br/> </p><p>Louis is the hair stylist who likes to flirt and tease but never dates, and Harry is the boy trying to change that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TrynaGetStylinson](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrynaGetStylinson/gifts).



> For Krista, who gave me the prompt/ loads of ideas/ help with all the hairdresser talk. She is beautiful. 
> 
> As are all of you who read and kudos and comment :) xoxoxoxoxoxo
> 
> Also this:

Louis was quite a fantastic stylist if he did say so himself. Which he did, in all honesty, a lot. He just had a way with scissors and colour and knowing what hair style suits whose face shape and skin tone that not everyone possessed. He was quick and efficient, and could do a three hour job in under two. He was utterly charming when he wanted to be, could tone down his boisterous ways for the shy customers and turn it up full notch for the loud ones. 

So his co-workers didn’t even mind that he was the owner’s son; they knew that he deserved his place among them in one of London’s most prestigious salons, with his own black leather chair and lit mirror next to theirs. Even Jaymi, the most experienced of the lot, approved. 

He was probably Louis’ favourite, if he had to pick one. Like Louis himself, Jaymi was loud. He was the type to burst into song and shake his hips to whatever was playing on the radio. He was catty and inappropriate and someone you wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of, and that was exactly Louis’ kind of person. If Jaymi wasn’t already engaged, Louis would have been on that in a second. 

As it were, there were quite a lot of workers he would have been happy to get off with if the opportunity arose. Like Zayn, who was the least experienced stylist out of them all. His specialty was men’s cuts, and knew the most about all the latest hair trends. He was constantly changing his own hair to suit whatever was current, and he always managed to pull it off somehow. Probably because even the most terrible haircut couldn’t distract from his face, it was that perfect, so everything he did just worked. 

The thing with Zayn, though, is that he sort of had a thing with Perrie. 

Perrie, the sweet girl with bleached blonde hair and pale skin and beautiful big eyes, specialised in colour. She was one of the first in all of London to dye her hair purple, she claims. And it probably was true; Perrie was too sweet to lie. Usually sweet people got on Louis’ nerves, but Perrie was the only nice person he’d met that he couldn’t find it in himself to judge. 

She was best friends with Jesy, the only esthetician at their salon. She was busty and loud and flirty and if Louis was into vagina, he would totally be into hers. She was the one Louis could count on for a laugh, at any time of the day, because she rarely took anything seriously. It was a well-known fact that George, one of the receptionists, had a major thing for her. But he was the relationship type, and Jesy was everything but. 

Their whole salon was one giant real life soap opera, really, and Louis thrived in it. There were love triangles and quadrangles and so much pining Louis’ heart would be heavy with it all if he gave a shit about love lives that weren’t his own. 

See, Perrie and Zayn were sleeping together, but Zayn refused to make anything official. He told Louis once that Perrie was missing something; that he didn’t know what it was but he would when he found it. Louis had snorted at that, because Zayn liked to think he was a player but everyone knew he was a deep down romantic; its why Perrie was interested in him and not Niall. 

Niall was the other receptionist and had been desperately in love with Perrie since his first day on the job. He’d come in with bleach tips and awful dark regrowth and Perrie had grabbed his hand and pushed him into her chair and set to work, oblivious to Niall’s heart shaped pupils. 

Louis liked to watch Niall and George sometimes, when he didn’t have anything else better to do, because they always seemed to be watching their crushes. They would be on their stools at the front desk, or sweeping up hair on busy days, just staring at the way Jesy and Perrie worked. Jesy in her tiny black shorts and tights and six-inch heels and Perrie in her long flowing dresses and skirts seemed completely oblivious. Louis would never admit it, but he sometimes wondered if there was someone that looked at him like that without him even knowing. 

He knew that George and Niall both had their own admirers, and there was even a customer that was crushing on Jaymi, but Louis didn’t seem to have anyone. Which made the least sense out of everything in this place, because he was the most fabulous. 

He was always a golden tan, Jesy and her spray tanning ensuring it. She also took care of his eyebrows and other unwanted body hair, one time giving him a very erotic close shave which left him very sexually confused. His hair was a natural looking caramel colour with the faintest of highlights thanks to Perrie, and Zayn had styled it into a small faux hawk, making a few adjustments almost every morning. 

Right now, for example, his hair was swirling its way down his forehead and he loved it. 

“You look like you’re straight from Grease.” The lady in his chair said, and Louis took it to be a compliment. The woman was at least a hundred, so the fifties were probably her glory days. 

“What am I doing for you today, love?” 

“A perm. A tight one, too. The last time I got one done it was loose and the chemical wasn’t washed out properly afterwards. Left my hair feeling like sandpaper for days.” 

Louis groaned, because she was one of _those_ old ladies. “Well if it wasn’t done here, no need to complain about it to me.” Louis snapped. “Now hop up and we’ll get your hair shampooed.” 

“Why are you wearing ladies jeans? My granddaughter has those very same ones.” And if Louis was a little rough when his fingers were in her hair, no one could really blame him. 

This woman was really ruining his mood. She’d complained as he sectioned her hair off, questioning if he knew what he was doing as he wrapped it around the rods, and made further comments about his clothes as he pulled on his gloves. 

“Everyone else that works here looks lovely in their black. How come you get to wear colours? I don’t see how that’s fair. I would feel much more comfortable if you were in black like the others.” 

Louis gritted his teeth and began to apply the lotion. 

“What’s that you’ve got? That smells a lot worse than the stuff from anywhere else I’ve been. I’m not going to pay if this looks terrible, mind you.” 

“Who have you got to look good for anyway?” Louis snapped. “Do you want to look nice for your one hundredth birthday party coming up? Or have you got a hot date? Want to get a hold of some old wrinkly-“

“Louis! I’ll take over, huh?” Perrie interrupted him with a strained smile, already pulling gloves on. “George just accepted a walk-in, and you know I’m bad with boy’s hair, so I need you to take care of him.” 

And with a final grin at the woman, who was just blinking at him owlishly, he spun on his heels and approached the front desk. 

“Who’ve you got for me, Georgey pie?” Louis asked, loud and gleeful because telling people off was one of his favourite things to do.

“Umm, Harry Styles. He just wants a shampoo and cut.” George said, turning a little red. He was startled quite easily, and Louis liked to make him blush, so Louis ran his fingers through George’s fluffy hair and messed it up as he spoke. 

A boy stood up and Louis’ jaw may have dropped. “My Mum wants me to get one more like.” He said with a wide grin and deep voice and Louis really wanted to lick him. Which was strange, because that wasn’t usually the first thought he had about someone when he saw them, but Harry looked like the perfect mix between salty and sweet. “Hello?” 

Louis shook his head quickly and plastered on a smile. “I’m just surprised you could see through all that hair, to be honest. Follow me to the backroom then.” Louis said and walked with a bit of extra sway to his hips. 

The cranky old cow said “Be careful with this one, he’s rude” as they passed and Louis looked at Harry over his shoulder and grinned, catching the boy’s eyes plastered to his ass. 

“I’m quite a rude boy, I must admit.” 

Harry smiled hesitantly back, and he held it until they got into the ‘wash room’, as they’d all taken to calling it. 

It was Jesy’s idea to section off the chairs with basins to give customers a little more privacy when they got their hair washed, but Harry looked like one of those rare people that felt uncomfortable about it. 

He was standing in front of the chair that Louis had waved at, eyeing it speculatively, and Louis wasn’t one for personal space so he rested his hands on Harry’s shoulders and pushed him down into it. 

“Just relax dear, I’ll take good care of you.” He winked, and grinned as Harry relaxed back into the seat. 

Louis couldn’t help but admire the way his legs just seemed to go on forever, black denim wrapped tight around his calves and thighs. His shirt hung loose over his collar bones, and from this angle, peering at Harry from behind the sink, he could see a little bit of inked skin. 

Harry cleared his throat and shuffled in his seat, so Louis asked “Could you drop your head down into the sink love?” 

Louis turned on the tap and adjusted the temperature as he watched Harry’s eyes dart about the room. 

“Is this your first time?” Louis asked, and Harry tilted his head back far enough to look at Louis.

“I’ve never been to somewhere this fancy. The places I go, they just wet my hair with a spray bottle and that’s it. Mum suggested this place for me because she goes here. Do you know Anne Cox?” 

“Yeah, I do. Just relax.” Louis said, tilting Harry’s head forward a little so he wouldn’t splash water into Harry’s eyes. Which reminded him. “I’ve got to go grab a smock for you. Don’t want to get your shirt all wet.” He sighed longingly, betraying the fact that that is exactly what he wanted to do, and tugged at the collar of Harry’s shirt to get a peek at the tattoos above his pecs. “Birds. Huh.” And Louis didn’t even bother watching for Harry’s reaction as he skipped out to pick up his black smock. 

“You got yourself a cute one.” Jaymi said with a grin, and Louis smiled right back. 

“He is, isn’t he? Little quiet, but you know how I like that. Makes it even better when they scream out my name.” 

“Louis!” Jade scolded from her chair. It was lucky that it was one of their regular customers hidden behind all that hair, really, because Louis was more than likely going to get a complaint from the old cow and he didn’t need another one against him. 

“Don’t act coy, love. It’s why you like our little Georgey, isn’t it?” 

He heard her laugh and mutter “You’re terrible” before he skipped his way back to Harry. 

Who was shifting in his chair, discomfort clear as day on his face. 

“Miss me?” Louis said with a wink, and laid the smock over him, leaning in closer than necessary when he buttoned it on behind Harry’s neck. 

Harry swallowed loudly and Louis ran a hand through Harry’s hair, pushing his head back over the basin. He picked up the tap and began to wet his hair, beginning at the top and working his way down. He was careful to avoid any water spilling into Harry’s eyes, hand fixed on Harry’s forehead, because he may be a flirty bastard but he was definitely professional when it came to the actual hair. Even when that lady was being a right bitch, Louis had no plans to mess her hair up.

When Harry’s hair was sufficiently wet and dripping into the basin, Louis pumped some shampoo into his hand and lathered it up. 

“This one’s my favourite, it smells like jasmine. Really relaxing.” Louis worked the shampoo through his hair, then began pressing the tips of his fingers into Harry’s scalp. He made soothing circles and slid his thumbs along the centre of his head and Harry moaned. Louis’ eyes widened; it sounded positively filthy. He pressed his fingers in harder and moved them up, massaging the scalp atop his head rather than behind it, and Harry groaned louder. 

“Feels good.” Harry muttered, and Louis looked up a bit to see that Harry had finally closed his eyes. His lashes were fluttering against his cheeks and he looked completely blissed out. 

“It does, doesn’t it?” Louis asked, simply to hear Harry’s voice again. 

“Mmm.” He moaned. 

“I’m the best at this. Everyone says.” 

“Yeah.” Harry rasped, and Louis swallowed down his own groan. 

Louis moved his right hand and pressed his palm lightly against Harry’s forehead, fingers in his hair, and scratched his way down Harry’s scalp, all the way to his neck, drawing out sharp breaths from the boy. 

“Fuck.” Harry groaned. “You’re amazing.” 

Louis grinned achingly wide and repeated the movement. “I know.” 

Harry chuckled from low in his throat and opened his eyes to look up at Louis. “At a lot of things I bet.” 

Louis’ eyes widened and he asked “What?” 

But Harry just grinned and shut his eyes again, shuffling back in the chair a bit. “My necks getting cramped.” 

“Guess it means it’s time to finish this up.” Louis said, quite a bit harsher because Harry was getting too much enjoyment out of this and he wasn’t giving Louis anything. And yeah, Harry was paying, but he wasn’t paying for sexual satisfaction and Louis wasn’t one to give it without reciprocation. So he ignored Harry’s groan of protest and began to rinse the shampoo out. He conditioned quick and pushed Harry up and out of the chair and said gruffly “Follow me.” 

Jaymi raised a brow at the look on Louis’ face as he came out. “You giving him the full pamper package?” 

“He fucking wishes he got the package.” Louis muttered under his breath, and signed for Harry to sit down in the seat beside Jade who was in the middle of getting her hair blow dried. “It’s a nice colour, doll. Suits you.” He said over the dryer sound.

“Thanks!” she shouted back.

“Careful you don’t get his hair, yeah?” Louis said to Jaymi, because he didn’t think he could physically stand to wet Harry’s hair again if it got dry. Jaymi nodded and continued to hum under his breath. He picked up the scissors and comb in one hand, and a few clips in the other, and asked “So what do you want?” 

Harry shrugged. Noncommittal: the worst kind of customer. “Mum just said I need to come get a cut because it’s too long.” 

“So a trim?” 

“Yeah?” 

“Alright.” Louis nodded, and began sectioning off Harry’s hair. It wasn’t something he was used to doing for boys, but Harry’s hair was quite long and if Louis was to do a good job, parts needed to be clipped back. He combed a part and started to cut, taking about an inch off because his ends were disgusting. 

Louis was happy to cut in silence until Jaymi was finished with the blow dryer, then it was just awkward. Louis couldn’t really deal well with complete quiet. “So how come I haven’t seen you before now?” 

“I’ve been away at University. Just came home for the holidays.” Harry answered from somewhere under his mop of hair. 

“When did they start?” 

“Last week. I just got back a few days ago though. My hair grows pretty fast and usually I just get it done at this student place at Uni, but I forgot to this time. The first thing Mum did after hug me hello was talk about my hair.” 

Louis smiled, because it did sound like Anne. She was quite funny, and had become good friends with his Mum when she was her hairdresser. Louis’ Mum had opened up a second store because she trusted that Jaymi and Louis could run this one together. His mum’s was a little too far for Anne to travel so she had become Louis’ regular customer. “You’re really lucky that we had time for you today, you know? Usually it’s hectic.” 

“I heard you guys were popular.” 

“And we’re missing a stylist today. Zayn called in sick, which is why I’ve got you. Usually Zayn does guy hair.” 

“I guess it really is my lucky day then.” Harry said, and Louis could _hear_ his grin. Cheeky bastard.

“It most definitely is. Not everyone gets a go of me. I’m pretty special.” Louis retorted, own voice tinged with his smile. If Harry wanted to flirt, Louis was ready to play. He should have warned Harry that he was a very competitive person, but he didn’t. 

“You are. Very special. You’re wonderful with your fingers.” 

“Oh, I’m _incredible_ with my fingers.” 

There was a symphony of voice-clearing beside them, and Louis looked over to see Jade’s blush and Jaymi’s grin. 

“You’re hair looks lovely, doll.” Louis said when he caught her eyes in the mirror. 

“Thankyou. Jaymi’s wonderful.” 

“Oh, I’m _incredible_.” He shot back with a grin. 

And Jade giggled, hand covering her mouth, while Louis laughed head thrown back. 

Harry was peering up at Louis through his wet hair with a small smile playing on his lips. Well, what should have been a small smile, because Harry’s lips were fucking huge so an actual small smile would be impossible. 

Louis moved the clips to let a bit more hair free, and began cutting at the next section. “What do you study?” 

“Engineering.” 

“You must be pretty smart.” Louis unclipped some more hair and brushed the stray strands from his shoulder onto the floor before continuing to cut. 

“I guess I am, yeah.” 

“What made you want to do Engineering?” 

Harry shrugged, knocking Louis’ hand so the scissors slipped and sliced his finger. 

“Fuck.” Louis grunted, pressing against the cut to stop the bleeding. 

“Ugh, I hate that.” Jaymi muttered to Jade beside him while nodding his head at Louis. “Happens all the bloody time and stings like a bitch.”

Louis ignored Harry’s apologies and located the bandages.

He looked up when he heard a door open, and Jesy was coming out of their ‘beauty room’, where she did her waxing and tans. 

“Catch you next week, love!” she said to the freshly browned girl. Then Jesy looked to Louis and frowned. “What happened there babe?” 

“Slipped.” Louis said with a pout, and Jesy kissed his forehead. 

“Oh sweetie, does it sting?” 

He really did love her. “Yeah. Lots.” 

“Want me to grab you a coffee from down the street? I’m heading there now.” 

“Yes please.” Louis said with a little nod, then quickly added “Make it a caramel latte though, with cream? And one of those little fairy cakes if Josh still has any left.” 

“Of course babe.” And Jesy took his palm in her hand and kissed it better before leaving him. Louis watched with a grin on his face as she walked through the store, hips swaying, all eyes on her. He couldn’t help but look to George, who looked like he was about to go into cardiac arrest at the very sight of her. 

Louis sighed loudly as he walked back to Harry.

“I thought you were gay.” Harry said, and Louis glared back.

“And why would that have been?”

Harry’s cheeks flamed red and he said “I thought we were flirting.” 

“Oh.” And just as quickly as it had disappeared, a grin fell over his face. “Why do you think I’m straight now?” 

“Your girlfriend?” Harry turned a deep crimson when Jaymi, Jade and Louis all burst into laughter. It was all a bit over the top, but once one of them started they all couldn’t help it; they were cackling and struggling to breathe, and Jaymi’s face was turning an unfortunate purple. “I take it she’s not your girlfriend.” 

“No, you goose!” Jade said when she could breathe. “Jesy isn’t anyone’s girlfriend.”

“And Louis?” Harry asked her, like the boy himself wasn’t standing behind him.

“He’s not anyone’s boyfriend.” She giggled. “Are you interested?” 

Harry just smiled and looked back to Louis, who was now completely sober. “Sorry about the finger.” He muttered instead. 

Louis rolled his eyes and picked up his scissors again. “It really does happen all the time.” 

“Alright, done!” Jaymi said, and Louis looked over to Jade. 

She looked fantastic, with chestnut roots fading into honey blonde, and hair curled to look effortless even though Jaymi had been working on it, curling iron in hand, for the last twenty minutes. 

“I love it.” She squealed. “Excited that balayage is coming back into fashion! I always wanted it but the trend fazed out before I got to try it last season!” 

“You look beautiful doll!” Louis said with a grin, and she squealed again.

“You really do!” Harry said, eyes flicking between her and Louis, and Jade blushed deep red. 

“Thankyou” she muttered shyly, and Jaymi pulled out her seat and pulled off her cape to walk her over to the front desk. Louis couldn’t help but follow them with his eyes, desperate to see how she would react when George paid her some attention. 

It was too bad for her, because Jesy chose that moment to return with her and Louis’ coffees, distracting George so Jade only got to talk to Niall. At least _he_ made a fuss over her. 

“You never did tell me if you were gay. I only know that you’re single.” 

“He’s gay as… I don’t know, something gay.” Jesy said as she walked up to them, handing Louis his coffee. “Josh gave you extra caramel.” 

“Only because he was trying to impress you.”

She grinned and shrugged. “Probably. So why’d you want to know if my Louis here likes boys, babe?” she asked Harry. 

Who turned red and looked back down to the floor. “Just wondering. I thought maybe he was with you.” 

Jesy grinned and grabbed a handful of Louis’ ass, fingers digging in a little too close for comfort, making him jump. “If only. This one has a sweet-as-pie butt that I would love to take a bite of. I’ve got to go ask George about something. Excuse me loves.” 

Louis turned back to Harry, who was still a bright pink. “She’s kidding. I think.” 

“I don’t think so.” Harry said quietly. “You do have a nice ass.” 

Louis grinned. “I know, right? Though to be honest, I sure know how to pick the right pair of trousers.”

He pushed Harry’s head down a fraction to get it at the right angle, and continued to cut. This had to be the longest haircut in the history of men’s haircuts

“How come you get to wear colour and the other ones don’t?” Harry asked, quietly like he wasn’t completely sure he wanted Louis to hear. 

“I’m meant to wear black like them, but I don’t think black suits me so I don’t wear it. The darkest I can manage is grey.” 

“Don’t you get in trouble?” 

“My Mum’s the boss. She wouldn’t fire me. Plus, I’m too good.” He added with his cockiest grin, and Harry grinned back.

“Is that how you got into this? Hairdressing?” 

“I don’t know. I’ve never really considered doing anything else.” Louis said with a shrug. “Mum likes to tell stories of when I was young and cut my sisters hair, but that sounds like a normal kid thing to me.” 

“I used to eat play dough.”

“Yeah. Kids just do shit like that. Mum still insists that I was born to do it though. It’s in my blood.” Louis added dramatically, and Harry laughed. Louis felt a bit light headed from the sound. “So how did you get into engineering? And please don’t shrug again.”

Harry smiled at his toes and said “I just thought it would be a challenge, and I like those.” 

“Yeah?” Louis asked, trying not to sound too interested but failing terribly.

“I like something I’ve got to work for. Makes it all the more better when you get it, you know?” 

Louis nodded silently and continued to snip away, and it wasn’t too long before he was completely finished. “Do you want me to dry it real quick? I can straighten it or curl it if you like.” 

Harry laughed. “Just a quick dry today thanks.” 

Louis nodded and picked up Jaymi’s dryer from beside him, seeing as it was already plugged in. 

It didn’t take long, Harry’s hair being that much shorter then what he was used to dealing with, and soon Harry’s hair was springing into small curls that hadn’t been there before. 

Harry groaned at his reflection, and Louis raised an eyebrow. 

“Is something wrong?” he asked with a little too much flair, and Harry shook his head quick, curls bouncing around him. 

“I just didn’t really miss the curls, to be honest. They’re always so… curly after I get my hair done.”

“It’s because I’ve removed all of the dead weight. I like them, they look cute.” 

“Yeah?” Harry asked hopefully, and Louis just grinned in response. He wasn’t going to flatter the boy. Not anymore then he had to, anyway.

“I think you would look good with a few highlights. Just subtle ones, scattered randomly throughout.”

“I’m not putting colour in my hair.” Harry said as he stood up, pulling off his smock. 

“Your choice, just giving you my professional opinion. Personal, too.” Louis added with a wink, and Harry looked back at his reflection. 

“Thanks. I like it. Mum will too.” 

“Good.” Louis said shortly, and headed over to Niall to ring it up. He was just a little over this kid, to be honest. He was too sexy for anyone’s good, and with his new hair he looked like a dangerous mix between bad boy and cherubic, and Louis was plain old confused. He’d gone from wanting to fuck the boy to wanting to pet his head until he fell asleep, and he wasn’t completely sure if Harry was up for either. So, as it were, he’d rather just send the kid off with a final goodbye and never think of him again. If Harry suddenly announced some kind of interest though, well. That would change things. “It’s 60 pounds all up.” 

Harry didn’t even try to hide his shock. “60 pounds? For a haircut?” 

“Are you saying an hour of my time is not worth 60 pounds?” Louis shot back. 

Harry’s eyes widened comically. “Of course I wasn’t saying that. Uh, is card okay?” he directed the question to Niall, who grinned and nodded back. 

“Good. Tell your Mum I said hi.” Louis turned on his heels and rushed over to Jaymi and Perrie, eating their lunch while they waited for their next customer, like the faster he walked the quicker he could make the image of Harry Styles disappear from his mind. 

\---

“Harry Styles just called and made an appointment.” George said one Saturday, as soon as Louis walked in to start his shift. As if he’d been waiting for ages with the information on the tip of his tongue, desperate to tell him.

“Who?” Louis pulled off his sunglasses and tucked them in to their case. Which may have been a bit dicky, but hell. They were expensive.

“Harry Styles, Anne Cox’s son?” George explained, and Louis shrugged. Of course he knew who the guy was, but he didn’t have to show it.

“When’s he coming in?”

“In a few hours, just for a wash and a cut.” 

“Again? He was just here a couple of weeks ago. His hair can’t grow that quick.”

George grinned. “So you do remember him?” 

“The name rings a bell.” Louis grumbled, and left the young brunette to hang his coat up in the staff room. Jaymi was in there, forehead resting against the table, back rising and falling with his breaths. So Louis banged on the wood inches from his perfectly coifed hair, and the boy shot up with a start.

“Why in the fuck did you do that?” Jaymi rubbed at his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. 

Louis watched it spring back into place. “Big night?” 

“Yeah, I went out with Olly and some mates.” Jaymi grunted back. “Fucking sucks we have to work Saturdays.” 

“You say that every weekend.” Louis grinned and left Jaymi alone to open up shop. He was expecting his first customer in a few minutes. 

“Its cause we have to work every weekend! Every Saturday! And Zayn and Perrie never show up until midday at least. Why can’t we get a later start?” Jaymi whined, following him to the front of the salon. “Can’t you talk to your Mum about it?”

“Saturday is our busiest day, it only makes sense that we work it. Maybe next Friday, just don’t drink so much and you’ll be fine. It’s not like you didn’t know you had an early start today.”

Jaymi rolled his eyes. “What’s got you all rational this morning? Usually you’re just as pissed about it as me. Bitching isn’t nearly as fun when you’re like this.”

Louis shrugged. “Well I didn’t go out last night, for starters. I’m feeling quite good actually.” 

“Harry’s coming in at 11:30.” George said suddenly, as if Louis had asked him. 

Jaymi grinned and Louis glared at the both of them. “So that’s why you’re good, huh? Loverboy is back?”

“What happened with Harry? Why is he loverboy? Nobody ever tells me anything.” George pouted.

“Nothing happened with Harry, I haven’t heard from him since his last appointment. Not that I was expecting to hear from him or anything. I’d forgot about him until now actually. Please can I just have a look at my roster for today?” 

George nodded and clicked the mouse a few times, and Louis peered over his shoulder. “Do you like him? I think he likes you. I saw him watching your bum as you walked away.” 

“That doesn’t mean anything. Everyone watches my bum.” Louis muttered as he scrolled through his schedule. 

“But like, he looked _really_ into your bum. More than most people.” 

“How does that look exactly? Can you show me how people normally look at my bum, and then how Harry looked at my bum?” Louis asked, sounding genuinely curious but really, George was starting to annoy him. 

So he watched George blush and shake his head _no_. 

Jaymi pushed Louis aside to look at his own schedule. It may have been a little rougher then was really necessary. “I’ll watch out for it today when he comes in then. I’m sure George is right.” 

George nodded, wide eyed with hair flying about his face. “I _am_ right! I wouldn’t lie!” 

“Yeah, yeah.” Louis waved him off. 

George was about to add something else to his argument but Louis’ first customer decided to walk in through the door at that very moment and save him from listening to any more of the boy’s stupid remarks. 

So what if Harry had been watching his ass in an extra-special way, really. Louis already figured that Harry found him somewhat attractive; everyone did. And he vaguely remembered the boy actually making special mention of his ass and its beauty, and his talented fingers, and the moans he was making when said fingers were in his hair. _Shit_. His trousers were tenting while his hands were painting colour in a lady's hair and Jaymi was going to notice any second. 

“Have you got pets?” he asked, voice cracking. 

The lady smiled and put down her magazine and looked up at Louis with that little glint in her eyes; the kind that said _I have one hundred cats and I am going to tell you about every single one of them even though I know you don’t really give a damn_. Perfect.

 

Zayn and Perrie came in at about 11am, two hours late by the salon’s standards but early by their's. Perrie’s lips were pursed unusually tight, and Zayn just looked like his usual smouldering perfect self. 

They entered silently, nodding to everyone they passed on their way to the staff room. Which was odd, considering Perrie was usually the greet-with-hugs-and-kisses type. 

“What’s going on?” Louis asked Jaymi, because usually he knew absolutely everything.

The way Jaymi sighed loud and long was telling. “Perrie wants to make things official between them, but Zayn doesn’t.”

Louis scrunched up his forehead. “But he’s not seeing other people, is he?” 

“Nope. I guess he just wants to keep his options open.” 

“Well that’s a bit shit.” Louis muttered, under his breath so the child in his seat wouldn’t hear. 

He was an annoying kid that wouldn’t stop wriggling. He was turning his head to look at his face from every possible angle, and Louis had been _that close_ to snipping his ear. Louis was just about ready to ask Jaymi to hold the kid’s head still. 

“I heard that!” The kid whined, and Louis rolled his eyes.

“No you didn’t. I didn’t say anything.”

“You said shit! Mum!”

“How about if you keep still and stay quiet, I give you a treat, huh?” Louis said through his teeth. 

The kid looked back at him and smiled sweetly. “What kind of treat?” 

“A Mars Bar. Do you like those?” 

“Yeah, I guess. It’s not fun size is it?” 

“No, it’s much bigger.”

The kid pouted thoughtfully, then nodded quick.

 

The bribe helped a little. It kept the boy silent while Jaymi and Louis spoke, but it didn’t exactly keep him still. He would abruptly turn his head or bop in his seat, and by the time his haircut was done Louis was ready to scream. Or eat the kid’s promised chocolate in front of him. 

But he wasn’t _that_ awful, so he still grabbed him a chocolate from the salon’s secret stash and gave it to him when his mother was too busy paying the fee. 

“I thought you said it was going to be a big one.” The kid whined.

“Well, you didn’t exactly keep still did you?” 

And before the kid could say anything more, his Mum was turning around to thank Louis. 

“No problem miss. He was a delight.” Louis grinned, waving as they hurried out the door. 

“You like kids?” a familiar voice asked, and Louis spun slowly on his heels. 

He allowed his eyes to slowly run up Harry’s body; over his tight torn up jeans and band shirt and necklaces, up to his stupid grin and big eyes and - “Holy shit, your hair does grow quick!” He hadn’t meant to blurt it out, but really, it was kind of incredible.

Harry grinned and pushed his fringe back away from his face. “Yeah, it’s gone a bit silly again.” 

Louis nodded and gripped on to Harry’s bicep to lead him to the back room. And to get a good feel, obviously. 

Without being prompted, Harry dropped into the large leather chair and tipped his head back over the sink. 

“First off, are you sure you don’t want to get any colour?” Louis asked after he grabbed a clean smock and threw it over Harry’s chest. He pushed Harry into a seated position to button it up at the nape of his neck.

Harry snorted “I am very sure.” 

“What’s wrong with getting colour?” And if Louis sounded a little insulted, then it was because he fucking was. 

“It’s just for girls isn’t it? And like, punks and men going through a mid-life crisis.”

“No.” Louis snapped, turning on the tap and letting it run over his fingers to test the temperature. “I’ve got colour in my hair, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Jaymi has colour, and Zayn has.”

“Don’t forget the blonde guy who mans the desk.” Harry laughed, and Louis was just about ready to turn the water up to boiling and burn this idiot boy’s scalp red. But he wasn’t violent, so instead he just wrenched Harry’s head back into the sink. 

He couldn’t help but feel satisfied at the little yelp Harry let out. “Well, that _blonde_ probably gets more action in one weekend then you have in your entire life. Girls like guys who care about their appearance, I’ll have you know.”

“But I don’t like girls.” Harry retorted, like that would make things any different.

“Guys like guys that – Oh, never mind. You’re useless.” 

Everything was silent for a moment, except for the sound of running water until Louis shut that off too. He squirted a generous amount of shampoo on his hands and lathered it into Harry’s hair. Then he washed it out almost immediately and reached for the conditioner bottle. 

“Aren’t you going to do that thing with your fingers?” Harry squeaked, and Louis glared back at the boy in his chair.

“No.”

“I’m sorry for insulting you. I just don’t know about any of this stuff. Like, hair and fashion and things. I’ve had the same haircut since I was twelve.” 

Louis couldn’t help but snort at that. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah! You can put colour in if you want.” Harry said, verging on desperate. Louis couldn’t blame him; his head massages were borderline addictive. 

“If you don’t want colour then don’t get it. It’s fine.” Louis muttered, absently running his fingers along Harry’s scalp. Just lightly, barely brushing, but Harry was starting to relax back into the chair. “I can put a treatment in if you like? I have to massage it in.” 

“Yeah!” Harry said with a grin, too loud in the small space. “That would be brilliant.” 

“It’ll be an extra twenty pounds.” 

“That’s fine. It’ll totally be worth it.” 

Louis smiled, turning quick enough to hide it from Harry; who had taken to tilting his head back to watch what Louis was doing. “Which treatment would you like? I would recommend the one for dry hair because your ends are quite brittle.”

“Which one takes the longest to put in?” He asked with a grin, and Louis rolled his eyes. 

“This one takes long enough. Don’t worry, you’ll get your money’s worth.” 

Harry settled back in his chair and Louis squeezed out the necessary amount into his fingers. Which wasn’t much, at all, considering the stuff was usually for incredibly long hair. The only other treatments they had were post-colour things, and they wouldn’t be any use. At least after this, Harry’s hair would look shinier and feel softer. 

Harry was moaning as soon as Louis touched the boy’s scalp. He would have rolled his eyes at how incredibly over the top it was if they weren’t clenched tightly shut. He needed to have a de-bonering image in his mind right the fuck _now_. It wasn’t going to happen, really, listening to a fit boy moaning like his dick was being touched for the first time in years. 

“Keep it down a bit, will you?” Louis muttered, and Harry apologised hoarsely. 

“It just feels so good.” He groaned. 

“Well unless you want me to come in my pants, shut up.” Louis snapped, tugging on a strand of hair a little too hard. Accidently, of course.

But that actually made Harry groan louder and from further down his throat. “Could you?”

“What?”

“Could you come in your pants just from this? I reckon I could.” 

“You reckon you could come from someone playing with your hair?” Louis snorted. Well, he meant to snort but his voice came out sounding a lot more intrigued.

“Not just someone. You. You’re just so fucking good with your fingers.”

“Seriously, you sound like a pornstar. Shut up or everyone out there will think I’ve got my hand up your ass.” Harry groaned at that, and Louis shook his head. “If you don’t be quiet I’ll stop.” 

Which had Harry shutting up immediately. Louis pushed his fingers up Harry’s head, scraped out with his fingernails and pressed his fingertips down into the scalp. Harry’s face was contorting and his hands were straining against the armrests and his hips were rolling against the seat. “You really are getting off on this, aren’t you?” Louis asked, nine parts wonder and one part lust. Because fuck, this was incredible. A boy with erogenous scalp and a hair stylist; a match made in heaven. 

“Sorry.” Harry said through clenched teeth. “But I really am.”

Louis pulled his fingers out of Harry’s hair and the boy opened his eyes. “It’s got to sit in there for ten minutes. And no, I can’t keep touching it during that time.” He grabbed a clean handtowel and rolled it up, lifting Harry’s head enough to slide it beneath his neck. “Wouldn’t want you cramping up.” He added, and left Harry alone in his chair. He was a tease. So what?

Louis blushed bright when he walked out into the main part of the salon, all eyes on him. Jaymi was grinning wide, fingers carding through a woman’s hair. Zayn was smirking and Perrie was laughing and George was blushing redder then Louis was. 

“I was washing his hair!” Louis groaned, and Jaymi couldn’t contain himself; he just had to let out one of his big stupid cackles. 

“He’s very vocal, isn’t he?” Jaymi said through heaving breaths, and even his customer was grinning. 

“Yes, he is. I couldn’t get him to shut up.” 

“When you’re done with him, I’d like a go of those fingers.” He heard Jesy say, and Louis rolled his eyes. 

“Oh, quit it.” He said as he turned, watching her strut out from her beauty room, a heavily made up girl following behind. 

“Are you ready to do her hair?” Jesy asked Perrie, who nodded and waved the teen over. “She’s got her formal tonight.” Jesy announced to the whole salon, and everyone started cooing over the young thing. Which meant Jesy didn’t have to use a quiet voice when she asked “What were you doing to him in there? You charging for happy endings now too?” 

Louis frowned, but only for a moment because he couldn’t stay mad at Jesy for very long. “I was just massaging his scalp.” 

She grinned and hugged him to her. “I know, pet. Just imagine what he’s like in bed though.” 

“He’d be a noisy fucker, that’s for sure.” Zayn muttered as he passed, George trailing close behind him. 

Louis watched as the two of them entered the wash room. “What’s going on there?” 

“Zayn’s doing Georgey’s hair. He wants it curly like Harry’s.”

“He’s getting a perm?” 

Jesy shrugged. “I don’t know much about hair, you know that. Shouldn’t you be getting back in there to Harry?”

Louis nodded sagely and hugged Jesy one last time. She gave the best hugs. 

 

He had to grin when he saw the way Harry was clenched up, watching Zayn lather up shampoo in George’s hair. He had to tear his eyes away to look up at Louis, then grinned. 

“Is it done?” Harry asked eagerly.

Louis nodded in reply, running the water and waiting until it was warm enough. He was a lot gentler with Harry’s hair this time, barely touching his scalp because he was afraid of setting Harry off again. It would be ridiculously awkward with Zayn and George in the room. 

Harry was clearly disappointed, but he wasn’t saying anything. He just lay silent and still, eyes closed and only opening to take the occasional peek at the boys beside them. 

He was silent until he was sitting in Louis’ chair in front of his mirror, water dripping into his eyes. 

“Do you want the same as last time?” Louis asked as he gathered his tools. 

“Yes please.”

Louis frowned. “Why are you so quiet all of a sudden? And polite?” 

Harry shrugged. “I’m just really confused” he sighed. 

“About what?” 

Harry’s hair wasn’t so long it needed to be clipped up this time, but when Louis pushed his head forward his hair still fell over his face, covering his eyes. “You and your mixed signals.” 

Louis didn’t say anything, just snipped a couple of centimetres off Harry’s length, so the boy added “I keep thinking you’re checking me out and flirting but then you get angry at me and rude.” 

“Well you did insult me.”

“I thought you’d forgiven me for that. The thing about colouring boys’ hair, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Louis muttered, because he had forgiven him. Sort of. 

“So how come you ran out after I said I was getting off on you playing with my hair?” 

Louis stopped cutting and looked at Harry in the mirror. His eyes could just be seen through his fringe, and he actually looked rather hurt. “I’m doing my job, Harry. I can’t just play with your hair until you ask me to stop.” 

“Can we see each other outside of work, then?” he asked hopefully, and Louis’ stomach swooped. 

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been asked on a date. If this was what Harry was even suggesting. “Like a date?” Louis asked, just to make sure. 

“Yeah, a date. We could do anything you want.” 

“As long as it ends in me playing with your hair, yeah?” 

Harry frowned and shook his head. “No, it doesn’t have to. Unless you want to, then I’m fine with that.” 

Louis pushed Harry’s head forward and continued to cut, focusing on that instead of Harry’s glances and persistent words. “How come you want to go out with me then?” 

“You’re funny. I like you.” 

“Is that it?” Louis asked with a blush. He couldn’t help it really. Usually it was only himself that thought he was funny. 

“You have an incredible ass. And I like your face. Your eyes are pretty, too.” 

“Alright, fine, I get it. You can take me out sometime.” 

“Yeah? Can I’ve your number?” Harry asked, looking up like he wanted to watch Louis say it. 

So Louis pushed Harry’s head back down to get at the last bit of hair that needed to be chopped off. “After this. By the way, I’m cutting more off at the back because it grows so fast, but I’ll leave the top quite long. Means you won’t have to come back to get it cut so soon.” 

“Oh.” Harry said, sounding disappointed. 

“It’ll look good, I promise.” Louis assured him, but Harry sighed anyway.

“But it means I won’t have to come back to get it cut so soon.” 

“You can book for just a hair wash and dry, you know?” Louis said with raised eyebrows, and Harry’s answering grin was blinding. 

“Louis?” someone asked from his left, and he looked up to see Zayn. “I need your help.” 

“With what?” 

“George’s hair. I have no idea what I’m doing.” 

“What are you trying to do?” 

“Perm it. Perrie’s still doing that girl’s hair, Jaymi is on a break and you’re best at perms anyway.”

Louis looked over to George, who looked sick with how worried he was, and he sighed. “Fine, we’ll swap.” He looked down at Harry’s frowning face and ignored it, telling Zayn what was left to do. 

 

George’s hair was a mess. Zayn had really fucked it all up and Louis was trying his best to fix it but it was hard when Zayn had used rods that were far too small. If Louis didn’t get them all out quick, George was going to end up with too-tight curls. 

So when Harry came over to Louis, hair freshly cut and bouncy and pretty, Louis pushed him away with an “I can’t talk right now. I’ll see you later.” 

He didn’t even look to see the boy’s reaction, just continued to roll George’s hair around the larger rods as quick as he could. 

 

“It doesn’t look too bad.” Louis tried to assure George, who was tearfully eyeing himself in the mirror. 

“I look like my grandma!”

“Well, you wanted curls.” 

“But not like this!” George grabbed fistfuls of his hair, and Louis couldn’t really blame him for being upset.

“You look a bit surfy now. Like, it’s been beach-tousled.”

“How? Because it’s frizzy and rough like I’ve just been dunking it in salt-water? It looks terrible.” He whined. “Can you fix it?” 

“There’s nothing I can do. You’ve just got to wash it as much as you can, and use lots of conditioner, and it should fall out eventually.” 

George sighed and eyed himself again. “How long is _eventually_?” 

Louis shrugged. “Maybe a week? Depends on how well your hair took to the product. Might be longer because your hair is so short and light.” 

“Oh wow!” they heard from behind them, and both boys turned to look at Jesy.

“What do you mean, _wow_?” George took a curl between his fingers and pulled it until it was straight. He pouted in the mirror until Jesy came up to stand behind him. 

“You look really cute with curly hair, George.” She said, and Louis recognised that voice. It was the one with a little husk to it, sexually charged and seductive.

But George didn’t notice; he was still sulking. It was probably for the best, really, because George was the type to go spluttery and nervous if anyone flirted with him. “I look like a ragdoll.” 

Jesy stood in front of him and leaned down to inspect his hair a little closer. Or, more likely, to push her boobs in George’s face. She took a strand and wrapped it around her finger, and George peeked up at her from underneath his eyelashes. “I like it. I _love_ it.” And George gulped audibly and Jesy spun her heels and clacked her way to the beauty room, shouting over her shoulder “You coming or not? I’m going to be, with or without you.” 

George was after her in a heartbeat, all thoughts of his ridiculous hair long gone.

 

Louis caught Perrie crying in the staff room when he went to grab some lunch, and he was so tempted to rush his way out of there before she spotted him because he was just so bad at this, _comforting people_. 

But Perrie was too lovely to cry, and his need to make her stop was stronger than his want to get out. He sat on the seat beside her and laced his fingers through hers. She sniffled and rested her head against his shoulder and muttered “Zayn doesn’t want me anymore.” 

“What makes you say that love?”

“He told me. He said he thinks he’s found someone else, a boy. Am I ugly?” she asked, looking up at him with wet blue eyes, tears a watery black. Louis didn’t even know they still made waterproof-less mascara.

“You’re the most beautiful girl in the world, Pez. Just… you don’t have everything he wants.” Louis said, flinching when she did. He really wasn’t much of a comforter. “I mean, you don’t have a dick.”

Perrie laughed into her hand and shook her head, pulling herself up and away from Louis. “You’re terrible.” She grinned, all watery and sad, and Louis just wanted to bundle her up in fluffy blankets and give her bunnies and make her tea. 

“Do you want some tea?” 

She shook her head and wiped at her eyes with the back of her palm. “I’ve got a customer coming in soon, and I’ve still got to fix my face.” 

“You really are beautiful, Perrie. You deserve someone who can love you back.” Louis said, and Perrie started crying again. _Well, shit_.

\---

It was official. Perrie and Zayn were seeing other people. 

Well, Zayn was and Jesy was desperately trying to set Perrie up. 

“How about JJ or Josh from the café down the road? Or Leigh-Anne if you want to try something new.” Jesy had suggested, wiggling her eyebrows, and Perrie glared up at her. 

“It’s been a week since the breakup, I’m not in any kind of rush.” 

“It’s been that long?” Louis asked, eyebrows raised and small frown playing on his lips. It means it had been a week since he’d last seen Harry, and he’d definitely expected to hear from him before now.

“Yes, only a week. And besides, Josh always looks at you whenever we get coffee.” Perrie added with a blush, and Jesy grinned.

“Alright, Josh it is. Let me know when you’re free and we’ll head over. I’ll bring George.” And with a little squeal, Jesy was leaving them to greet her new customer. 

Leaving Perrie styling a woman’s hair into a bob, and Louis just watching her. 

“How have you been?” Louis asked, and Perrie smiled small.

“Honestly, I’ve been okay. It can be hard to see Zayn around here, but it’s not so bad. I met his new boyfriend last night.” She admitted, and Louis prompted her to go on with just the rise of an eyebrow. “Zayn brought him out for drinks, and I was with Jesy and George when we spotted them. He came over and introduced the guy, his name is Liam, and he was nice.”

Louis waited for more, but she’d fallen silent. “Nice? That’s all you’ve got for me?” 

She rolled her eyes. “He’s really hot, alright? They look good together, so now Jesy’s obsessed with finding someone for me.” 

“Josh _is_ a nice guy. He’s funny, too.”

“I know. But I’m pretty sure he has a thing for Jesy. And JJ had a girlfriend, last I’d heard.” 

Louis bit his tongue, stopping himself from blurting out _well everyone likes Jesy_ because that wasn’t really something a girl would like to hear about her best friend; even Louis knew that. “Jesy’s with George now, isn’t she?” 

The question had Perrie grinning and nodding her head. “I think so! They were all over each other last night. She really has a thing for his new hair.” She added with a small frown, obviously baffled by the thought. Who wasn’t, really; even after a week the ridiculous curls hadn’t relaxed. 

“So if Jesy is bringing George, then obviously they’ll be all over each other in front of Josh. You can make your move then.” 

Perrie lent down for a moment, getting eyelevel with the ends of the woman’s hair and snipping at a few strands. When she was standing straight again, she sighed “I’ll see.” 

 

When Zayn got in, Perrie was out with Jesy and George, Jaymi was re-styling Jade’s fringe and Louis was talking to Niall. 

Niall had been in the middle of confessing his new crush on Jade when Zayn interrupted them with a grunted _hey_. 

“You know Harry Styles, right?” Zayn asked, and Louis nodded his head. Even though said head was tilted in confusion because _where the fuck was this going?_ “I saw him out last night, at this club Liam took me too.” 

Oh. “A gay club?” 

“Yeah. Anyway, he was asking about you. Wanted to know why you hadn’t called.” 

_Oh_. “I don’t have his number.” 

Niall sniggered. “Mate, he’s a customer. We have his details in the computer.” 

Louis blushed. “But we aren’t allowed to take customer’s details for personal use.” 

“Since when? I never heard that.” Niall said with a frown, and Zayn sighed. 

“It’s pretty much a rule of every business ever. But Louis, you know he’s interested. That’s not the real reason for why you haven’t called.”

“Well what is then?” Louis asked, pouty and a little red with annoyance. 

Which was when Jaymi appeared with Jade, and Niall greeted the girl with a big grin and started chatting to her. Jaymi asked “What’s this about?” 

“Louis hasn’t called Harry and is saying its because he didn’t get his number from him. Even though we’ve got his number in the system.” Zayn huffed, and Jaymi rolled his eyes.

“We can’t take numbers for personal use.” 

Louis grinned. “That’s what I said!” 

Zayn growled and stormed off, muttering “I’m done with you two” under his breath. 

But Jaymi spun on his heels to stare down Louis. “You know I don’t think that’s a good excuse.”

Louis shied back and asked “For what?” 

“For why you haven’t contacted him. You’re scared.” 

“Am not!” 

“Are too. Do you know how many times I’ve watched you get asked out only to have you reject them? Twenty six. And then every day you complain that you’ve got no one, or that no one’s interested in you. When really, loads of people are or have been and that’s how you like it. With them pining and trying to win you over while you stand back and tease. Harry’s a nice kid, call him.” 

Louis could only blink. And crinkle his forehead and scrunch up his nose and say “That’s not true! I mean, I do like it when people like me but I don’t encourage it!” But Jaymi just had to raise one of his perfect eyebrows and Louis was muttering “Alright, maybe I do.” 

“Maybe? You definitely do. And one of these days you’re going to let someone perfect get away because you won’t give him the attention. Now, call up Harry or I’ll do it for you.” 

“Fine, fine.” Louis grunted, and pushed Niall aside so he could get at the computer. 

 

Harry came in at eight, well after everyone else had left. They were all out on dates; Jade with Niall, Jesy with George, Josh with Perrie and Zayn with Liam. Jaymi had his fiancé to get home to, and usually Louis would be jealous of the lot of them for finding their perfect match but there was no point to that now. Not when he had Harry. 

“You’re closed?” Harry had asked when he first got in, looking around the empty salon. 

Louis snorted “Obviously”, but his face softened when Harry frowned. “I couldn’t book you in any earlier, when we were open, so I thought I’d give you the wash and blow dry now.” 

“Oh. Alright.” Harry nodded. It may have been a lie, but Louis couldn’t think of any other way to get Harry alone in the salon with him. He’d chickened out of asking him out on a date, so instead made up a story about how he owed Harry a free wash considering he hadn’t finished off his haircut last time. If Harry doubted him, he wasn’t showing it. 

“Just follow me out back.”

Louis grabbed a smock on his way to the wash room, clipping it around Harry before the boy sat down. He had to reach up a little to do it, and he hadn’t noticed how tall Harry was until now. 

“Sit down.” Louis said, voice echoing in the small room. Usually there was gentle music playing in the salon, and now without it his voice sounded that much louder. 

Harry nodded and fell into the chair gracelessly, stretching his legs out and fixing the smock so it was laying over him. He shuffled back and lay his head back over the sink. 

Louis turned on the tap and the sound of rushing water supplied the white noise that he needed to feel a bit less awkward. He cleared his throat. “How have you been?” 

“Alright.” Harry’s voice came out gruff, almost strained. “I’m looking into doing my course closer to home.” 

“Yeah?” Louis placed his hand on Harry’s forehead, pulling all his hair back so he could wet it all thoroughly. “Why is that?” 

“I didn’t realise how much I missed home until I came back. I’m a lot happier here.” 

“Oh. That’s good.” 

Harry opened his eyes and looked up, tilting his head back and exposing his long perfect neck. “How have you been? Busy?” 

It came out as an accusation, and Louis flinched. “I’m always busy. But, I should have called. Sorry.” 

Harry was about to say something, but Louis’ fingers were in his hair, rubbing shampoo in circular motions along his scalp. Louis was scratching and pressing and squeezing how he knew Harry liked, and the other boy was powerless. He just settled back into his chair and closed his eyes again. 

Except this was different, because Harry wasn’t moaning. His lips were tightly pressed together and his fists were clenched tight and occasionally he would let out a soft groan but nothing more. 

So Louis pressed his fingers down a little harder and drew circles with his thumb against the back of Harry’s skull. He took bits of hair between his fingers and pulled lightly, just a gentle tug, and Harry bit back a groan. 

Louis lent down, face next to Harry’s when he muttered “You don’t have to hold back. We’re the only ones here.” 

And the groan that erupted from Harry’s throat was positively pornographic. He was arching his back and gasping out and running his hands up and down his chest, underneath the smock so that Louis could only make out the shape of his fingers. In seconds Louis was ripping off the smock and sitting in Harry’s lap and kissing him, fingers still entangled in his wet, soapy hair. 

Harry’s hands ran all over him; up his spine and down to his ass and along his thighs, alternating between barely-there brushes and sharp squeezes. Louis pushed Harry against the back of the seat and kissed down his throat, and Harry released the groans that had been captured between their lips. 

Harry’s hands gripped Louis’ ass and he muttered praises about Louis’ hips and ass and lips and fingers. When Louis licked at Harry’s collarbone and sucked on his skin, the curly haired boy was done for. His limbs were jelly and his brain was mush and then Louis just had to pull at Harry’s hair. And Louis stopped. He pulled back and frowned and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair again. 

“I’ve really got to wash that out.” 

“What?” Harry gasped, trying to claw on to Louis when the boy climbed off him. 

“The shampoo, I’ve got to wash it out.” And Louis was already running the water when Harry started to protest.

“But did we have to stop?” 

“I don’t fuck on the first date.” 

“But we weren’t – this wasn’t a – I was planning on taking you out to dinner for our first date.” He pouted. 

And Louis grinned and squeezed out some conditioner and Harry was letting out these little soft moans. “I could go for some food after this.” 

“Yeah?” Harry asked throatily, peering up at Louis with his dimply smile. 

“It’d be our second date though.” 

“Oh?” 

Louis nodded and gave Harry a final tug at his hair, sharp and hard so that the boy groaned loud. “I always fuck on the second date.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all asked for a sequel so here is a sequel!!! 
> 
> Its a lot less about the hairdresser stuff and more about the relationship stuff. Sooooo this turned out way more flufftastic then cracky :/
> 
> Hope you still like it/ don't want to murder me when you get to the end!!!! 
> 
> ANd in other news, I have done a related masterpost on tumblr. Check it ooooutttt: http://embrofic.tumblr.com/post/62019730048/so-after-writing-fringe-i-have-developed-quite
> 
> xoxoxoxox

It was hard to do Harry’s hair now, what with them dating and all. 

He’d come in for his bi-monthly haircut and want the deluxe hair wash each time, and Louis could swear that the moans were getting louder and louder. There had actually been a complaint made about it twice now, customers thinking there were ‘inappropriate activities’ going on in the wash room, and Louis couldn’t help but wonder it Harry was trying to get him fired. 

“Harry, seriously!” Louis had groaned as his boyfriend writhed around on the leather chair, hands gripping the ends of the arm rests. 

“I’m trying!” Harry grunted, and Louis was just about done with it all. He was hard in his jeans and there was nothing he could do about it; his hands were soaking wet and covered in shampoo. Oh, and he was at work.

“I’ll have to get Zayn or Perrie to take over if you keep this up.” And when Harry groaned again, Louis pulled his fingers out of the sopping curls, quick as a flash. “Excuse me?”

Harry’s eyes opened wide and he looked up, desperate and apologetic. “No, that’s not what I meant! I don’t want them! Only you Louis, please?” 

Louis really did like it when Harry begged, so he pushed his fingertips back along Harry’s scalp. “What would you like, then?” 

“Fuck, is Jesy out? Can we use her room? I want your fingers in me, Louis, please?” 

Louis grinned; he really, _really_ liked it when Harry begged. “Not until tonight, love. I want you thinking about it all day.” And he stopped the little circles he was drawing with his fingers, pulling his hands free to pick up the shower head.

It was kind of their thing, Louis teasing and leaving Harry desperate. Like Harry had said, he liked things best when he had to work for them, and Louis was happy to take full advantage of that. He _was_ , well and truly, a tease. 

Except maybe Harry teased Louis too sometimes. Like now, how he was arching his back in the chair and licking his lips like that, sticking his tongue out for that little bit too long. It was driving Louis wild; he wouldn’t get that tongue in his mouth or lapping at his cock for another five hours at least. 

“You can suck me off in the bathrooms if you like.” Louis suggested, and Harry was nodding at a break-neck pace. Quite literally. 

See, sometimes Louis wasn’t so bad. 

 

It had been weird at first, them dating, because Harry wasn’t the type of guy Louis was used to. 

Harry was the worshipful type of guy, the type that would shuffle around on his knees for two days straight if Louis asked. And it was amazing; the way Harry looked at him and groaned beneath his fingers was pure magic. But Louis was scared that he might get bored. 

He wasn’t at the moment, but it was always in the back of his mind. Harry was bound to fall in love with him, who wouldn’t really, and it would be absolutely awful if Louis’ mood shifted like it so often did. Louis was waiting for the morning that he would wake up and look at the endless boy beside him and feel nothing. 

He thought that during the long hour after their second date would be the most he could possibly feel for Harry; after they’d eaten noodles and talked about nothing and fucked in Louis’ squeaky bed. Harry had laid there, eyes foggy and smile lazy and skin red and sweaty, and Louis had never seen anything so beautiful. Blissful happiness was radiating from the boy, and it gave Louis a feeling that he’d never felt before. He’d felt a squirminess in his tummy and a pull at his heart, and it was something that he’d never thought he’d experience again. But he did, every time he saw Harry, and it was a little frightening to say the least.

“That’s love.” Jaymi had explained, and Louis couldn’t help but snort. 

He was curling a woman’s hair and couldn’t be too careless with his words, so he rolled his eyes and said “Fuck off!” 

“Well that’s how I felt after me and Olly’s first time, that heavy tug in my chest.” Jaymi said with a little smirk. 

“I’ve been with Harry for two days. Let’s wait a little while longer before we start bringing up the ‘L’ word.” 

But now it had been two months, and that tugging wasn’t going anywhere. If anything, it was getting stronger. 

“What is it?” he asked Perrie, and she gave him one of her apologetic smiles. 

“It’s definitely love.” 

George had said the same thing, and even Niall. He’d asked Zayn, hoping to get a shrug or any other form of answer that was equally noncommittal, but he had said “I reckon you could paint his soul with nothing but a toothpick and yellow paint."

Which, well, that was probably worse than _love_ , right? Louis hoped he could forget that quite quickly. 

“What does that even mean?” Louis had snapped, and Zayn decided then to give a shrug. 

“I paint Liam’s every single day.”

“His soul with a toothpick?”

“Yeah. I fray the end first, obviously.” 

“Obviously.” Louis snorted. Zayn and Liam were quite sickening. Liam was an electrician’s apprentice and liked to come in to watch Zayn work whenever he could, and the two of them were just creepy. They’d finish each other’s sentences and move in sync and it was all just too much to look at, really. 

“Think of Perrie!” Louis had said once, when he was on his absolute last straw because it was an unsaid rule that no one ever brought up their relationship. “Is it really fair on her that he’s in here all the bloody time?” 

“She likes Liam. They’re actually good mates.” Zayn had said with a shrug, and Louis had scowled and stormed off to find Jesy. 

Who had been occupied with George. They were always bloody at it. 

It felt like everyone had their love lives sorted now, so all Louis had to think about were the downfalls of his own. 

Not that there were downfalls; that’s what scared him. 

Harry was perfect. He came to the salon at the end of every day to get the Tube with Louis, then he’d make them dinner and they’d watch trashy telly, bowls in hands and legs tangled together. They were _that close_ to getting a cat, Louis would swear it. 

Then there was the sex. The incredible, jelly-legs, numb-brain, _achy-chest_ sex that was way beyond perfect. 

Harry would beg in breathy moans and Louis would give him everything, fingers always tangled in curls no matter their position, and each time was better than the last. It wasn’t ever boring. But, still, Louis was waiting for the moment when it would be. 

 

“You think too much.” Niall had said. He saw himself as a bit of a relationship expert, now that he had Jade. “You’ve just got to go with it. If it starts to get boring, worry about it then.” 

“But I don’t want it to get to that point.” Louis whined. 

Niall shrugged. “Well think of something you haven’t done, and do that. Unless it’s fucking at work. Don’t do that.” 

Louis grinned. “Too late.” Which was a lie, but still. It couldn’t hurt to put the image in Niall’s mind. 

\---

“Do you think you could leave to get lunch?” Harry asked once, after Louis had blown his hair dry and Harry had blown him in the bathrooms. Louis liked Harry’s hair best when it was freshly cut and springy. His curls were tight and soft and Louis couldn’t keep his fingers out of them. Which Harry loved; it was a win-win situation.

“My next client is here in an hour, so yeah.” 

Harry had decided on the café, Louis’ regular, and they were lucky it was reasonably empty when they walked in. 

“Hi!” Harry greeted Leigh-Anne, his usual cheery self, and the girl gave him her loveliest smile back. 

“What can I get you two?” 

“A caramel latte with extra caramel and a mocha and…” Harry looked at the cakes and sandwiches and slices in the cabinet with a little thoughtful frown. “Two ham and cheese toasties, please.” 

As they took their number and sat at a table, Louis asked “How’d you know my favourite coffee?” 

“That first time you cut my hair, I heard you say it to Jesy.” Harry replied with a small shrug; like it was absolutely nothing. Louis thought it was one of the sweetest things he’d ever heard. 

“How’d you know I like toasties?” 

Harry grinned at that. “Everyone likes toasties.” 

“So how’s Uni then?” Louis asked, nonchalant but in all honesty he loved hearing about Harry’s classes. Harry was the typical dedicated student, who went to every single class and soaked it all in. He liked the lecturers and the assignments and Louis loved it when Harry talked about it all. 

Even now, just thinking about it, Harry was glowing. “It’s really good! I’ve got a big project due this week and I’m almost finished it. I’ve got to stay at home tonight, actually. I need to print stuff out and you don’t have a printer.” 

Louis frowned. “Can’t you print it out after class tomorrow?” 

“I need it _for_ class.” 

“Can’t you print it out just before class?” Louis asked, trying to hide his desperation but he was probably making a terrible show of it. They hadn’t spent a night apart in the last couple of months, except when Harry’s Mum was sick with the flu and he’d stayed with her for the whole week. Louis hadn’t known what to do with himself; his flat felt that much emptier. 

“No, I’ve got to fill the sheets in with stuff. You could stay over at mine if you like.” Harry added with a shrug.

Louis just sat blinking for a moment, not really sure what to say. He knew it wasn’t a big deal, but it really felt like one. He’d met Harry’s Mum plenty of times, he was well acquainted with her hair in fact, but this was a whole new thing. He wouldn’t just be her hairdresser anymore, he’d be her son’s boyfriend. “Did – would you like me to stay over?” 

Just as Harry was opening his mouth to reply, Leigh-Anne showed up with their order. And plopped down on a free seat at their table. “Hiya!” 

Louis frowned. “Hey.” 

“I’m not doing anything, just thought I’d come chat with you boys.” She explained. “Also, I’ve really got to book an appointment. Do you reckon you could fit me in after 5 this afternoon?” 

“I’m all booked up today.” Louis said, picking up a half of his toastie. “I know Perrie’s free.” 

“Seriously? I like Perrie, she’s cool. Do you know what happened with her and Josh, though?”

“They were a thing?” Harry asked, crinkling his nose up. He was pretty much a part of the gang by now, going out with them for drinks on Saturday nights and hanging about at the salon enough to know what was happening with them all, so it was a little surprising that he’d never heard about it. 

“They just went on a few dates but nothing really came of it.” Louis shrugged. 

“Josh is a bit weird, it’s no surprise that it didn’t work out.” And Leigh-Anne joined in with the shrugging. “So what are you two up to today? Got plans for after work?” 

Louis looked over at Harry, who was just blinking back at him with pursed lips. So Louis said “Harry’s got Uni stuff to do.”

And Harry said “But you could still come over for dinner.” 

“That’s quite domestic, isn’t it?” Louis retorted, because he didn’t think this is what Niall meant by something they hadn’t done before. He figured Niall meant something sexy, and meeting the parents just sounded boring; that was exactly what he was trying to avoid. 

“I don’t see how it’s more domestic then when I cook dinner for us at yours. Just this time it will be for my Mum too.” 

“But like, I’ll have to talk to her and stuff.” 

“What’s wrong with that? I thought you liked my Mum.” 

“I do.” Louis retorted quickly, because Harry was getting the wrong idea; Louis did like Anne, but he didn’t know if Anne liked him as anything more than a hairdresser. He could be a bit much as a person. 

Leigh-Anne cleared her throat and pushed herself up. “I’ve got to go… clean the counter again. Umm, can I get you anything else?” 

Harry looked up at her with a strained smile and said “No thank you.” And when he looked back down at Louis, he was frowning again. “What is it then?” 

“I don’t know.” Louis lied. He wasn’t sure why he lied, in all honesty. 

Especially since Harry’s face was going from angry to sad, and a few simple words could have Harry feeling better about himself. Just, Louis didn’t want to feel embarrassed. He’d rather feel guilty then have Harry pity him. “Louis, I really do like to give you things. I like to meet you after work and go home with you and make you dinner. I like to go out with you and your friends and visit them at the salon when I’m free. Just – I want you to give back too. I want to go out on dates just the two of us, and I want you to come meet my Mum, and I want you to introduce me to your Mum and your sisters. I just want more of you.” 

Louis didn’t know what to say to that; to hear just how much Harry wanted him. _All_ of him. “I didn’t realise you wanted the boring stuff.” Louis said. Out loud. _Shit_. 

Harry was standing up suddenly and his eyes looked wet and Louis was just about ready to pull his own hair out. Which was a big fucking deal. “I’ll see you later Louis.” 

“Tomorrow?” Louis asked after him, but Harry was already out the front door. 

 

“What in the fuck is wrong with you?” Jaymi said with a wack to Louis’ head, messing his hair all up. Which he deserved. 

“You know I’m new to relationships!” 

“It’s common sense how to act in one! If you love the person, you do everything you can to make them happy and not hurt them. Simple as that.” 

“It’s true.” Niall said with a little nod, and Perrie gave him a sympathetic smile. 

They were all gathered in the staff room, leaving Zayn and George alone out on the salon floor to deal with the two customers in their chairs. Louis had reminded Jaymi that he had someone waiting for him in his chair, but he thought it was much more important to be telling Louis off right now. 

“But I don’t love him!” Louis snapped. “I know I was a shit, but come _on_. This is all a bit stupid really. I just don’t want to see his Mum out of work, that’s all.” 

“That’s quite selfish, Louis.” Perrie told him, in that kind knowing voice that made Louis feel a bit shit. “Or do you have a good reason?” 

Louis frowned and shrugged his shoulders like a child. They were all treating him like one, anyway. Except Jaymi, who kept on thwacking him. “I just don’t want to be boring. Meeting the parents is boring.” 

“It’s just dinner!” Jaymi cried, throwing his hands up in the air and making Louis flinch. “You’ll have to sit with Harry’s Mum for literally half an hour and then you can go back to doing whatever it is you and Harry do.” 

“Yeah, but…”

“You do like Harry don’t you?” Niall asked, and Louis nodded quick. “It’s not just about meeting his Mum, you know? It’s showing that you care about him. So far, he’s made all the effort.” 

Jaymi looked quite impressed with Niall, and Perrie just smiled wide like it was the best advice she’d ever heard. 

“He did say he wants me to do more for him.” Louis muttered, and they all just stared down at him, waiting for whatever Louis would say next. It was a bit unfair that they were all standing up around the table and Louis was the only one sitting. He sighed and pushed himself off the chair. “I’ll call him.”

Jaymi nodded and grinned and pulled Louis into a hug. Then he stepped back and gripped both of Louis’ shoulders and squeezed. “Don’t be a dick, yeah?” 

“I’ll try.” Louis replied, because that was the problem. Louis _was_ a dick, and he was terrified that Harry would finally realise it. 

 

He’d been worried through the rest of his shift, hands shaking so much he was cutting his fingers way too often. Jesy wasn’t even there to bandage him up and kiss him better. She was doing a one-week course on waxing and Louis desperately needed her. He supposed George would be the closest thing, what with them practically being the same person now. 

“George! I need some plasters!” 

His big doe eyes flashed from the computer screen to Louis and he shot up like a startled rabbit. “Okay Louis, I’ll get them for you.” he whimpered. No wonder Jesy liked him so much, it was a pretty sound. 

George rinsed Louis’ fingers in the basin and dried them off, and Louis just watched him. “What do _you_ think is wrong with me?” 

The brunette widened his eyes impossibly and bit his lip so hard Louis was momentarily worried for him. Then George looked back down and began to cover up his cuts. “There’s nothing wrong with you Louis. Just, sometimes it’s hard to tell what you’re thinking.”

“Go on.” 

“I just think Harry would like to know where you stand. If he’s on the same page as you, relationship-wise.”

“If we want the same things?” 

George grinned at him and Louis felt quite proud of himself for getting something right. “Yeah. It was hard enough for Harry to get your attention. Maybe he’s worried that you’re getting bored of him.” 

There was that word again. _Bored_. “I’m not getting bored. I’m just worried that I will.” 

“I know.” George said with a nod, and Louis looked up at him. Actually properly _looked_.

“How’d you get to be so smart, Georgey?” 

“When you’re on the sidelines, you notice a lot of things that other people don’t. While you were out playing the game, I was trying to learn the rules.” 

“Well fucking hell, you’re a proper wise monk aren’t you?” 

George actually giggled at that. “Just now I’m not so celibate.”

Louis was grinning now too, and he couldn’t help it. He shoved his fingers in George’s soft hair and fluffed up his fringe like he hadn’t done in so long. But then Louis heard a loud gasp and looked up to find Harry standing in the doorway to the salon, looking positively scandalised. _Oh, come on!_

 

Louis ended up having to run down the street after him, Harry was walking so fast. 

“Harry, wait up!” he yelled, and the younger boy stopped. He turned and grabbed Louis’ arm and pulled him out of the middle of the path. Louis ended up pressed into the wall with Harry’s arms on either side of his head, and this was _really_ not the time to get turned on. 

“Are you bored of me?” 

“Oh fucking hell!” Louis cried, and Harry flinched back. “No, I’m not bored of you! You’re bloody perfect, alright? If anything, I reckon you should be bored of me.” It sort of just slipped out, and Louis hadn’t realised he even thought that until it did. 

“Why would I ever be bored of you? You’re the least boring person I’ve ever met.” 

“Aren’t I becoming a bit predictable, though?” 

“Why would you say that?” And Harry sounded so genuine that Louis wanted to fist Harry’s curls and kiss him silly. 

Instead, he just shrugged. “Because I’m always snarky and rarely serious. Because when you say sweet things I freeze up or make a joke. Because I ask everyone else what I should do to make you happy instead of just already knowing.” 

He hadn’t realised his head had dropped down until Harry’s finger was at his chin, slowly pulling it up until Louis was forced to look into Harry’s eyes. The stupid green things looked all glossy, and Louis hated himself a little for making that happen. “Making you happy makes me happy. I’d just be happiest if you felt the same way.” 

Louis smiled small and sad, and really wished he knew what to say. He thought he felt like that too, but he hadn’t been acting like it. He knew he was saddest when Harry was sad, and hated himself a little more each time he upset Harry, and couldn’t imagine anything worse than Harry leaving him. “I’m such a dick.” Harry grinned and shook his head slow, and his fringe fell into his eyes. Louis swooped it back to the side and sighed loud. “Can I still come to yours tonight, or have I fucked it all up?” 

“Only if you want to.” 

“I do. I really, honestly do. Just, would it be alright if my Mum comes too? And maybe my sisters?” 

Harry grinned the widest that he had in ages, so that even his very back teeth were showing. “I’d like that.”

 

Louis’ palms were sweating something awful when he arrived at the Cox’s. Harry had waited at the salon for him to finish work like he usually did, only this time they caught a completely different Tube and got off in Hampstead. Of _course_ Harry would live in one of the arty districts.

It was an old looking place, and rather small, but Louis supposed it only really had to house two people. As soon as Harry opened the door, Louis noticed the softest smell of lavender incense. He saw the shoes lined up along the wall, a mixture of hipster boots and sneakers and the occasional pair of heels that Louis really hoped were Anne’s, and it was all quite homey. 

“It feels nice in here.” Louis admitted, and that made Harry smile. 

Only for a moment, because suddenly he was yelling “Mum! Louis’ here!” 

And the small woman came rushing out of a doorway to grab at Louis with her little hands. She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek and said “You look even lovelier outside of the salon. Who would have thought it could be possible?” 

“Not me.” Louis joked, and Anne laughed her sweet laugh that she definitely hadn’t passed on to Harry. 

“What’s the plan for dinner, love?” she asked her son, and the boy shrugged. 

“I was just thinking I’ll make spag bol or something, there’ll be _a lot_ of people to feed. Louis’ got four sisters!” 

Anne grinned and pinched Louis’ cheek, just for the hell of it. “I know! I met them a couple of times actually, when your Mum was first starting out! She used to bring you kids to the salon all the time, it was a riot!” 

“Yeah, I used to have to get them from her after school to take them home. They got a bit much for Mum when she was trying to work.” Louis told Harry, who was still grinning like an idiot. 

“I’ll go make a start on dinner. You two can talk if you like.” Harry said, and not-so-subtly backed away into the kitchen. Or, what Louis could only presume was the kitchen. For all he knew, it could be some kind of weird sex dungeon. 

“Let’s go to the sitting room, huh? We’ve got a lot to catch up on, I’m long overdue for a haircut!” 

 

It was easy talking to Anne. They spoke about everything, from High School to family to Harry’s studies to Louis’ work. Anne told stories about the girls and all the mischief they got up to when his Mum was first starting out her business, and Louis was laughing so much his cheeks were aching. 

It was all going perfectly until Louis’ sisters showed up. He really did love them, but he forgot how bratty they were. In all honesty, they were little shits. 

Lottie and Fizzy, his Mum admitted, had to be dragged off their laptops to come over for dinner, and when they got to Anne’s they spent the whole time on their phones. As for the twins, Louis really wished they’d shut up. Daisy kept asking questions and Pheobe kept trying to argue with Fizzy. 

“Sorry.” Louis had muttered to Harry when they got a moment of peace in the kitchen, pink with embarrassment and guilt for turning the house into a zoo. They’d just had their dinner and Harry and Louis cleaned up. Jay asked Lottie to as well, but she’d just given her best _you’ve got to be kidding_ look and Louis couldn’t be assed arguing. So he had picked up the dirty plates and Harry offered to refill everyone’s drinks, and now they were standing at the sink, watching the soapy water rise. 

“Don’t apologise, I like them.” Harry said with one of his honest smiles, and it did make Louis feel a little better. “I’ve only got an older sister, so I’ve always felt like the baby. I’d love to have younger siblings.” 

Louis snorted and turned off the tap before the sink could overflow. “You can have them.” 

“Louis, they’re sweet.” Harry looked up from the dish in his hands to give Louis his most stern look, but he still managed to look more fluffy kitten then hissing cat. 

“Were you in the same room with the same four girls as me just now?” Louis said with such dramatic mock disbelief that Harry laughed. But it was the quiet kind of laugh; the one he did with his chin on his chest and his eyes on his toes so his hair fell over his face to hide it. 

“I was, we were just listening to different things. When you were trying to get Lottie to admit she was playing Candy Crush instead of texting a boy, I was listening to the twins. They really look up to you.” When Louis raised his eyebrow, Harry raised his own higher. “They do. Daisy wouldn’t stop talking about how great you are, and Pheobe was trying to one up Daisy on ways that she was like you. It was cute.” 

It was Louis’ turn to try to hide his face because he could feel it heating up, and he wasn’t one to blush. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating.” He murmured, and Harry knocked him with his shoulder. 

“You need to start listening out for when people say nice things about you. It’ll help you realise how great you are.” And before Louis could even open his mouth to protest, Harry gave him a little light kiss on the cheek that had his brain emptying.

All he could say was “Thanks. You’re pretty great too.” The way Harry lit up was a little breathtaking. “And thanks for saying nice things all the time. It’s… nice. I wish I could say those things too, to make you realise how perfect you are, but... I’m not dumb. I’m just not so eloquent.” 

“It’s lucky that I already know how great I am, then.” Harry said, face still split by his grin. 

“You better watch out, Harry, or I might start trying to write poetry about you.” Louis laughed, and when he felt Harry’s hip knock into his he took it to mean _go on then_. Louis threw his hands up in the air and took a step back, and used his loudest voice. “Harry Styles, the boy with a face bright like the moon. It’s big and white like the moon, too. And round, and covered in craters.” And Louis poked the dimples that were deep on Harry’s smiling cheeks. “That’s all I’ve got.” 

“It’s beautiful!” Harry cried, and threw up his hands to clap them together with a painful amount of enthusiasm. “I’ve never heard such kind words. I had no idea I have a big while crater face. I’m glad I know now.” 

Louis stepped back up to the sink and took the dripping dish from the rack to dry it off. “You’re such a dick.” He said with his widest grin. 

“You’re such a knob.” 

“I can’t argue with that.” Louis said back, and let out an embarrassing squeal when Harry punched his arm. “What was that for?” 

“You’re meant to argue with that. If you don’t, I’m going to have to do it for you.” 

“You do enough for me, Harry. I think I can take this one off your hands.” 

And Harry smiled Louis’ favourite little smile, and Louis wondered what he did to deserve someone so lovely. 

 

After they’d finished off the dishes, Harry had to excuse himself to fill in that sheet for Uni, so Louis sat in the lounge room with his family and Anne. The twins were sleeping on a big arm chair together, knitted blanket over their legs, while Lottie and Fizzy had finally put down their phones and were actually taking part in Anne and his Mum’s conversation. 

“Your phone run out of battery?” Louis said as he sat down on the couch next to Fizzy. It was one of those big, cushy ones that you could sink into; the kind that swallowed you up and made it impossible for you to get off it without a struggle. 

Fizzy rolled her eyes and snorted out a “No.” and it reminded Louis so much of himself. “Mum’s just telling stories about her old boss. You know how I like those.” 

“They are quite good.” Louis said with a grin as his sister turned back to face their Mum, and the two of them listed to tales of Simon the incredibly flamboyant hair stylist that had trained Jay back in her home town of Doncaster. 

“Did I ever tell you kids about his nickname?” his Mum said, trying to hide her smile with her hand but her giggle was escaping through her fingers. “He called himself the Sheriff because he could work wonders with a hairdryer in each hand. He would strut around like he was from a Clint Eastwood film, and he had a holster for them too! He’d spin them around on his fingers like they were pistols and pretend to shoot us with them!”

“He didn’t!” Anne shrieked, and fell into her own little fit of laughter. Louis caught Lottie’s grin and mirrored it. Maybe family time wasn’t so boring after all. 

 

He hadn’t realised he’d fallen asleep until he felt the couch beneath him shifting. When he opened his eyes, Fizzy was trying to pull herself up, and Lottie had to help her in the end; it really was a squishy couch. 

“We’re heading home now, love. Would you mind carrying Daisy? Harry’s already out at the car strapping Pheobe in.” 

Louis rubbed his eyes and nodded, holding out his hand so his Mum could pull him up. It meant he had to properly look at her, and she was giving him such a warm smile that he felt it in his heart. It was the tugging again. 

“Do you think I love Harry?” he blurted out when he was standing eye level with her, and his Mum grinned until her eyes were crinkling like his own did. 

“I think you might. I’ve never seen you this happy.” 

“I don’t know if I want to, though.” 

“That’s when you know it’s right, when you don’t want it; if it just happens. If you want to fall in love, it happens too quickly and it isn’t always honest.” Louis rolled his eyes and his Mum squeezed his shoulder. “Just try not to be afraid of it. It’s not something you want to run away from.” 

“Alright, Dr. Phil.” Louis snorted, and his Mum scowled. Her eyes betrayed her though; they were still crinkled with laugher. So he pulled her in for a tight hug and muttered _Thanks_ into her ear. 

“Now get this one in the car already, will you?” she said in her jokey voice, the one that Louis liked best. 

So he lifted Daisy up, trying not to grunt too loudly because she was _a lot_ heavier then she looked, and she flopped her head against his shoulder with a little sigh. 

“She is quite cute, isn’t she?” Louis said with a little smile. 

“Yeah, she is. When she and Pheobs aren’t unplugging the wireless to hear Lottie and Fizzy shriek, they’re quite a laugh. You should come by and see them some more, and bring Harry.” 

“I will.” Louis promised. 

“Good, they miss you.” She said sternly, and Louis smiled. Little reminders that he was loved were always nice. 

 

It wasn’t until the car was driving off that Louis could properly look at Harry again. Saying goodbye to his family had become an ostentatious affair, as if they were all never going to see each other again, and when they finally left Louis sighed long and loud.

“I loved them.” Harry said with a little smile.

“I love you.” Louis blurted, and Harry looked to him quick. His face was unreadable and Louis wished it back for all of one second before he was saying “It feels like I’ve seen all of you and now you’ve seen me and you aren’t running away. So, you know, that deserves love.” 

Harry tilted his head and asked “So, you’re joking?” 

“No, I’m not. I really do love you. You’re beautiful.”

And Harry grinned. “Are you sure you aren’t confusing my big white face for the moon?” 

Louis rolled his eyes in the way he’d just learnt was very much a family trait. “The moon’s got nothing on you, Harry Styles.” 

It was silent for a moment between them as they just stood grinning, so when Harry held out his hand Louis took it. “I probably don’t need to say it, but I love you too.”

“You definitely needed to say it.” And Louis stepped in close so he could wrap his free arm around Harry’s shoulder and push his fingers through the hair at the nape of Harry’s neck. When Harry squeezed his eyes shut, Louis pushed in harder. “Or you won’t be getting a go at my fingers tonight.” 

Harry’s eyes snapped open and he looked so mortified Louis’ stomach swooped. “We’re not fucking in my Mum’s house, Louis! Her bed is literally inches away from mine, just through the wall, and you know how loud I am!” When Louis relaxed his fingers, Harry whined “Don’t stop!” 

Which made Louis grin. “I’ve got the keys to the salon, you know.” 

“You do?” Harry groaned. “We could… you wouldn’t mind?” 

“What? Finally making you come in one of those stupid leather chairs? Course not.” 

“Could you wash my hair?” Harry said with a little blush, so Louis spread his fingers out to cover the whole back of his head. Then he squeezed his fingers together and wrenched at the hair caught between. When Harry moaned filthily, Louis let up. 

“Of course I can, babe.” 

“You’re a genius.” Harry grunted, and Louis grinned.

“It’s why you love me, isn’t it? My big brain?”

“Yes! I love your big brain even more then I love your big ass.” 

Louis laughed and had another tug at Harry’s hair, just because he could. “That’s a lot of love you have for my brain then, huh? And I haven’t even told you the best part.”

“What’s that?” Harry breathed out, moany and desperate and practically begging. His face was scrunched up though like the information might physically pain him. 

So Louis lent up to press his lips into the spot just below Harry’s ear, then licked out at his neck so he could taste him shudder. “Jaymi’s chair vibrates.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tehehehehehehehe  
> (sorry I didn't want to dirty this up with smut :/)  
> Comments??? xoxoxoxoxoxoxo


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the smutty chapter for those that wanted it!!!
> 
> Let's aaaaall remember that I said I think I'm funnier then I am, and tbh I don't exactly write smut you can get off to, buuuut enjoy anyway :) xoxoxoxoxo

“What shampoo do you want?” Louis breathed into Harry’s ear, bottom lip against his lobe. He was close enough to see the exact moment goosebumps appeared on Harry’s skin and raced down his neck. 

“The laven- nungh” Louis probably shouldn’t have done it then, just after he’d asked Harry a question, but his pale skin was _right there_ and Louis wasn’t very patient so he had to have a taste. If he’d sucked a little too hard, then who could blame him really? Even if Harry dissolved into an incoherent mess of garbled words and moans whenever Louis’ lips were on him. 

“The lavender, I take it?” And when Louis asked, he reached out with his hand to push the neckline of Harry’s shirt down so he could see those two little birds. He left his hand there; a solid weight against Harry’s chest. 

Then Louis’ fingertips outlined one of Harry’s nipples through his shirt and the boy moaned “ _Yes_.” 

So Louis stood up and turned around to find Harry’s favourite shampoo, grinning when Harry sighed out in discontent. “Take your shirt off, love.”

Harry didn’t have to be told twice; it was off and on the floor before Louis even had the liquid in his palm. He watched Harry squirm as he foamed it up between his hands; loved how Harry’s knees would bend up and out so his feet could rest at the end of the chair, bare toes curling against the leather like they were trying to grip on tight. How his knuckles would whiten, he was gripping onto the armrests so hard. All of him was tense, waiting for Louis to do something. 

It was hard not to be a tease when Harry’s impatience was just so pretty and his desperation so tantalising. It riled Louis up, the sight, but Harry was prettiest when he was writhing and moaning underneath his fingers, and even Louis felt the tension drain away into something much more when Harry got what he wanted. 

So Louis rubbed his palms together for the final time and pushed his fingers through Harry’s hair, thumb pressing downwards along the back of his skull while the rest of his fingers spread out against his scalp. Harry released that filthy guttural groan from where it had been held captive in his throat, and Louis could swear that noise got hotter every time they did this. 

He moved his thumbs in circles and scratched lightly with his fingernails, moving fingertips back and forth against the side of his head and watched the rise and fall of Harry’s chest. He was breathing heavy and loud, but not quite loud enough, so Louis caught some hair between his fingers and pulled it oh-so-lightly. Harry sucked in a sharp breath, and when he let it out Louis tugged a bit harder until he groaned. 

“Fucking – Louis.” He whined, so Louis moved his hands down to Harry’s shoulders and began to rub.

“You’re awful tense, Haz.”

“Louis.” He whined again, nuzzling into Louis’ left hand. “Higher.”

“You’re forgetting something.” Louis tutted.

“ _Please_.”

“You know I don’t give a fuck about manners. I want to hear you beg.”

“Louis, please put your fingers in my hair _please_ I need it.” Louis pressed his fingertips into Harry’s neck, into the spots just below his ears, and began to slowly push up towards his scalp. Harry sucked in another breath, and Louis stopped moving them. Harry whined and tilted his head back so he could see Louis and began to ramble again. “Come _on_ Louis! Up higher, please, I need it so much I’m fucking - it’s not enough, I want more, _please_.” It was that last please, the one that was half growl half moan, that had Louis’ fingers slipping back up to rub at Harry’s scalp. 

Harry sighed for all of a second before his moaning started. His eyes fluttered closed and his fingers started scratching at the arm rest again, and Louis couldn’t quite take his eyes off the way Harry’s stomach muscles were tensing. 

Louis sped up the tempo of his fingers, drawing circles with the tips, and watched Harry’s hips cant up so his ass was no longer touching the seat.

“Jeans. Off. Pants too.” Louis demanded, and when Harry made no move to follow the command he tugged at Harry’s hair _hard_.

Harry grunted and started undoing his button and zip, and pulled both his jeans and pants off in one go. 

Louis felt a little guilty for a second, he knew Jaymi would not appreciate Harry’s bare ass on his seat, but then Harry bucked his hips again and gave Louis full view of his half-hard cock and that was all Louis’ mind could handle at the moment. Really, they were going to do a lot worse than sit naked on his chair soon enough. Wasn’t worth fretting over, anyway.

“ _Louis_.” 

“Sorry, got distracted.”

Harry laughed then, throaty and hot. “Too much looking, not enough tou – uh – uching.” He panted it out, because Louis’ fingers were working again. Massaging his scalp, scratching at his skin, squeezing his hair. 

The shampoo between his fingers was starting to go tacky though, so when Harry was riled up enough for his liking, Louis turned on the water tap and began to rinse out the soap. 

“Shit Louis.” Harry gasped. Which was fair enough; the water was quite cold. 

“I’d say sorry, but I’m not. You should see yourself.” 

“You should –“ he sucked in a breath when the water began to dribble down his neck. “You should install mirrors on the roof.”

“That’s tacky.” Louis muttered. Even though he quite liked that idea. He’d like to see Harry get off on the sight of himself, flushed and panting. Maybe another time. 

Louis turned off the water and bent down to suck at the droplets on Harry’s bare shoulders, ignoring the sudsy taste because he had skin warm and salty against his tongue. And Harry was panting again, sucking in rapid breaths and releasing them with little whooshes. 

“Are you going to get to the conditioner bit this time, or are you already too desperate for my cock?” 

Louis didn’t expect the words out of Harry’s mouth, and even though they were a pleasant surprise he sprayed his boyfriend with the cold water anyway. As Harry squeaked, Louis grinned. “Cheeky.” Then he leant around Harry to lick up some of the water that was making its way down Harry’s chest. He trailed after it with his tongue, catching it just before they dripped into his navel. Harry’s cock jumped, inches from his eyes, and Louis pressed his teeth into Harry’s stomach so that the boy beneath him shuddered. 

“Are – are you quite finished?” Harry asked, confidence betrayed by the wavering in his voice and the way his chest was heaving, trying to control his breathing. 

“No.” Louis continued to nip and lick and suck at the same patch of skin until it started to redden and he felt Harry’s hand in his hair. Which had him pulling back and slapping the hand away. “You know not to touch it.” 

“But why? It’s just going to get messed up anyway.” Harry was whining again, but this time he sounded childish instead of sexy as fuck. 

“Because I spent ages doing it and if it’s going to get mussed up, it’ll be because I’ve been bouncing on your cock so hard it gets all sweaty and sticks up all funny. Okay?” 

Harry blinked back at him. “I can deal with that.” 

Louis smiled sweetly. “Good. Now its conditioner time, you’ve ruined the mood.” 

“Not my mood.” 

“So you don’t want the conditioner?” 

“No, I do!” Harry squealed, and Louis was grinning again. He’d gone a bit snappish, but it was all in good fun. He liked to be reminded that Harry was desperate for him; for his fingers in his hair, playing and pulling and rubbing. 

Which he did, with conditioner on his fingers, careful to avoid Harry’s scalp. He just scrubbed at Harry’s hair, tugging lightly occasionally, so that soon the boy was begging again; Louis didn’t even have to ask. 

“Louis, I’m sorry, all right? _Please_.” 

“What, Harry? I don’t know what you want.” 

“You know what I want better then I know what I want. Just give it to me, please?” 

“Give you what though?” 

“What I want!”

Louis could have dragged this on forever, the little bickering and teasing that made it that much more fun for him, but his own cock was feeling quite neglected and he was almost as eager as Harry to get the ball rolling. 

So he started to massage Harry’s scalp again, in slow soothing circles.

“Yes.” Harry groaned out. “That’s what I want.” 

“Like this?” Louis asked, scratching up and down Harry’s head with one hand while the other made quick work of undoing his own trousers.

“Yes.” 

Once his pants were off too, he removed his hand from Harry’s scalp to get his shirt off. Before Harry could protest, Louis switched on the chair so that it buzzed to life. Then plopped down onto Harry’s legs with a wide grin.

“Hi.” 

Harry blinked slow, and opened his mouth to say something, but Louis was shutting him up with his lips. It was more than likely going to be something stupid like _What?_ ; wouldn’t be anything worth a second less of Louis’ mouth on Harry’s. 

When Louis pulled back, and Harry said “You’re naked”, Louis’ theory was basically confirmed. 

He looked down between their bodies, trying not to get distracted by the sight of their cocks so close together (he’d lost some of his wittiest remarks that way), and gasped “Really? How did that happen?”

Harry grinned, and began to trace Louis’ back lightly with his finger. “Can the chair go up any higher?” 

Louis reached down to the side of the chair and turned the knob all the way up until he could feel the vibrations absolutely everywhere. His thighs were wobbling and his cheeks felt like they were going numb and he was glad when Harry groaned “Too much!” So he turned it down to half-way and it was perfect; just a light buzzing underneath his skin. 

“You gonna finger me or what?” Louis asked, and grinned because Harry was snorting. 

“Lube?” he choked out.

“It’s in your jeans pocket, isn’t it?” Louis asked, already holding the trousers in his hands and reaching into the back pockets. He hoped to fuck that Harry hadn’t put the little foil pocket into the one with more holes then material. He sighed out when he found it in the front, and shook it in front of Harry’s face. 

It was snatched out of his hands and Harry was ripping it open with his teeth. Then he was sticking his fingers in and wiggling them about until he had two thoroughly coated. 

Louis spread out so his knees were beside Harry’s waist and leaned forward to hold Harry’s shoulder to balance himself. He watched as Harry stuck his tongue out to the side of his mouth, how cartoon characters did when they had to concentrate really hard, and felt a finger nudging at his entrance. It was just rubbing at the rim, so Louis pushed back until Harry was pushing one all the way in. 

When Louis felt it wriggle, he frowned and grunted “I’m doing it” and Harry stopped moving. Then Louis began to rotate his hips until the digit was pressing up against his walls. “Another one.” 

“You sure?” 

“Yes.” Louis hissed, and Harry quickly complied. A little _too_ quickly, in all honesty. He sort of just rammed it up there beside the first and Louis grunted out a “Fuck.” He settled back onto them though, after a few deep breaths, and began to move his hips again. He bounced up and down and round and round until it didn’t hurt anymore. “Scissor them a bit, will you?” 

“I know how to finger someone.” Harry mumbled, but he did what he was told. He was pouting though, so Louis kissed him on the forehead. 

“I know, love. You know how I like to be in control though.”

Harry smiled and nodded. “I like it when you’re in control too.” 

Harry began to scissor them, now that he was appeased, and Louis had to sit still because Harry was getting dangerously close to his prostate. He didn’t like it being touched during prep; only wanted it hit by Harry’s cock. 

“The third one.” Louis said, in a much nicer voice that had Harry grinning. He slid another finger in, slowly beside the others, and when Louis felt sufficiently stretched he said, in his most commanding voice, “Hands on the armrests.” 

Harry did so, pulling his fingers out painfully quick to grip the armrests and just blinked up at Louis, waiting. 

Louis retrieved the lube packet from where it had been tossed idly onto the floor and began to squeeze the remaining liquid out. He did it slowly, rolling the packet from the bottom to get at every last drop, and when Harry opened his mouth to whine, Louis grasped Harry’s cock in his lubricated hand and began to pump. Harry’s head fell back against the leather and he moaned, long and loud and gruff.

Then Louis was gripping it firmly with one hand and holding himself up with the other against Harry’s shoulders, moving his hips up and guiding himself onto Harry’s cock. He moved slowly, dropping down inch by inch, until he was fully seated. 

He opened his eyes to Harry watching him, pupils blown wide and hair matted to his forehead. Which reminded him.

“We got five minutes. That’s a treatment.”

And Harry got out “Wha-?” before Louis was riding him, pushing himself up with tense thighs to drop himself back down. 

Harry was groaning like a man possessed, hands flapping about on the armrests, wrists glued to it; he was so desperate to touch but he knew he couldn’t. 

It made Louis grin, that desperation, and he moved his hands down from Harry’s shoulders to rub at his nipples. Just gently, round and round with the pads of his thumbs, an occasional flick at the nub, and Harry groaned louder. Louis traced down Harry’s stomach with his fingers, tracing the butterfly tattoo and his navel, but then it was getting harder to keep up his pace when all of his own weight was held by his knees and thighs. He put his hands behind himself, on top of Harry’s thighs, and leant back slowly as he continued to fucking himself on Harry’s cock. 

Then he felt it, the sharp pang of pleasure when his prostate was hit, and his rutting grew quicker. He rolled his hips so that spot was hit on every drop down, and Harry’s thighs were so tense beneath his fingers, and he had to peel his eyes open to get a look at Harry. 

Who was bright red and so so sweaty, biting his lip so hard like he was trying to hold in his grunts and groans. Luckily for Louis, it wasn’t working at all. Harry was still whining and breathing out in whooshes and making little jolting sounds in his throat. His eyes were having trouble sticking to something, constantly flicking between Louis’ eyes and his chest and his cock that was bobbing between them. His knuckles were white, he was gripping the armrests so tight, so desperate to touch but he knew he couldn’t. 

“One minute.” Louis grunted, and started fucking himself down on Harry with a new fervour. Hips rolling quicker, knees working harder to bob himself up and down, fingers digging into Harry’s thighs. He wanted to touch himself, so desperate for some pressure on his cock, but he wanted more to come without that contact. 

Louis thought he wasn’t going to get that wish when Harry’s hand left the armrest, and he barked out a “Harry!” because he was so sure that his boy had plans to grip him. 

But then he saw Harry’s hand disappear down beside the chair and before Louis knew it, his world was shaking. Harry was vibrating beneath him and his cock inside him and it was so hard against his prostate, buzzing against it and now wetting his insides. Harry was coming inside him and Louis was coming between them and _Fuck_. It just kept rolling, this pleasure in waves, and Louis could hear Harry yelping but there wasn’t much he could do about it, except maybe relax his grip on Harry’s thighs, but he couldn’t think much about that now. 

But then Harry was gripping his cock, loosely jacking it with a hand moistened by Louis’ come, and Louis was grunting because that hand was vibrating too. It was too much, too sudden, and he was pushing himself up and off of Harry, hands back on his shoulders to make it easier, and Harry opened his hand to release him.

Louis lent down and flicked the chair off, then sat back on Harry’s thighs and just stared. 

“I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.” 

Harry was grinning though, looking awfully pleased with himself. Which, yeah, fair enough. That was pretty amazing. “I panicked.” 

“You panicked?”

“You said we had one minute and I panicked.” 

“You realise that if we went over time, it would have only meant that your hair treatment would stay in for a bit too long?” 

Harry pouted. “I thought you might get off me after a minute, to wash it out.” 

Louis frowned, and had to have a think about it for a second. “I probably would have, you know. But I was already pretty close to coming.” 

“Me too!” Harry’s face was lit up with childish excitement, like it was the best thing _ever_ that they had something in common. “But I wasn’t sure you were and I figured a vibrating cock up your ass couldn’t hurt.”

Louis kissed Harry’s lips quick and clambered off his lap to get the tap. He was testing the temperature of the water, making sure it was warm enough because Harry did good, when Harry leant down to switch on the vibrating chair again. 

“Do you reckon you could do it?” 

“Do what?” Louis asked with raised eyebrows, even if Harry couldn’t see him. It was his perplexed look, and he was perplexed.

“Make me come again, just with your fingers in my hair.” 

Louis frowned thoughtfully. “Well, I haven’t been able to get you to come just from my fingers in a normal situation, let alone right after you’ve already come.”

“Before we didn’t have Jaymi’s magical chair.” Harry pointed out helpfully.

Which had Louis sighing. Then grinning wide. “I guess we can always try.”

**Author's Note:**

> I remade on [Tumblr ](http://harryventura.tumblr.com)


End file.
